The Integrated Hypersonic Aeromechanics Tool (IHAT) has been developed to perform multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) analyses on conceptual hypersonic missile designs. Each subsystem module contains a collection of off-the-shelf analysis tools that have been integrated into the IHAT system. This paper describes the thermal module subsystem of the IHAT tool. The Thermal Module’s primary purpose is to determine the temperature response of all structural components subjected to aero-heating as well as heating due to engine combustion. It also determines the necessary material thickness(s) for the thermal protection system (TPS), which is necessary to keep the underlying structural components at or below their maximum allowable temperatures.

The Thermal Module currently has two thermal code solution options for a thermal analysis. The first option is a modification of the MINIVER code set (NASA) that includes a master routine that interfaces with the IHAT environment and invokes the MINIVER and EXITS codes as subroutines. The second option is a wrapper code, ATEX, which controls the ATAC03 and CMAPAT code sets (ITT-Aerotherm). The IHAT Routines within the Thermal Module automate the process of setting up, running, and collecting output from the MINIVER, ATAC03, and CMAPAT codes at each point on the surface of the vehicle. These codes calculate aero-heating, propulsion-heating, and material thermal response along with material charring and ablation. This paper describes the IHAT routines that automate the process of calculating heating and material response for each element of a structural grid that is input to the thermal module.